Those who lagged behind of the desert Arabs will presently say unto thee: our properties and our households kept us occupied, so ask thou forgiveness for us. They say with their tongues that which is not in their hearts. Say thou: who can avail you in aught against Allah, if He intended you hurt or intended you benefit? Yea! Allah is of that which ye work ever Aware. 11 No. You thought that the Messenger and the believers would never return to their families; this prospect seemed pleasing to your hearts, and you conceived evil thoughts, and thus were doomed to perish. 12 He who does not believe in God and His Apostle (should know) We have prepared for unbelievers a blazing fire." 13 To God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He forgives or punishes whomever He wants. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful. 14 As soon as you [O believers] are about to set forth on a war that promises booty, those who stayed behind [aforetime] will surely say: "Allow us to go with you" - [thus showing that] they would like to alter the Word of God. Say: "By no means shall you go with us: God has declared aforetime [to whom all spoils shall belong]." Thereupon they will [surely] answer, "Nay, but you begrudge us [our share of booty]!" Nay, they can grasp but so little of the truth! 15 Say to the Arabs who lagged behind: 'You shall be called upon to fight a mighty nation, unless they embrace Islam. If you are obedient you shall receive a good wage from Allah. But, if you turn away, as you turned your backs before, He will punish you with a painful punishment' 16 There is no reproach upon the blind, nor reproach against the lame, nor reproach upon the sick; and whoever obeys Allah and His Noble Messenger – Allah will admit him into Gardens beneath which rivers flow; and whoever turns away – He will mete out a painful punishment to him. 17